Automobile engine compartments contain many components which substantially fill the compartment, making routine maintenance a challenge. One such component is the battery. Batteries typically are extremely heavy and have fixed positive and negative charged locations, often in the form of exterior extending posts for interconnection with corresponding connectors, usually referred to as battery terminals. Conventional battery terminals typically include threaded fasteners that must be actuated to draw the battery terminal into engagement with the corresponding battery post. Typically, a corresponding electrical cable is crimped onto each battery terminal representing an in-line orientation which may or may not be the most convenient orientation for engaging the battery post.
These conventional battery terminal connectors have a disadvantage in that tools must be used to effectively tighten and loosen the bolt. Assembly of the battery terminal connector is therefore time consuming and complicated, especially if the terminal and/or the battery is not conveniently located. Because the entire battery terminal connector is generally formed of a conductive material, there is a risk of accidental shock or short circuiting during the assembly and disassembly thereof. Additionally, these conventional battery terminal connectors do not provide an easy or reliable method for attachment of an electrical cable thereto.
The use of such conventional battery terminal connectors is problematic in many instances, as additional labor and expense is needed to ensure proper termination. For example, when car manufacturer's export vehicles overseas, the batteries must be disconnected when the car is transported onboard the ship and reconnected when the car arrives at port. As conventional battery terminal connectors require the use of tooling for disconnection and connection to the battery, significant labor and expense is required.
To address some of these concerns, battery terminals which do not require tools for assembly have been developed. An example of such a known battery terminal is disclosed by Orange in U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,925 entitled Rotatable Connector for a Battery Cable Clamp. That battery clamp is disclosed as having first and second legs extending from a post section. A connecting pin passes through apertures formed in each leg such that it is coupled to a handle on one end and an end nut on an opposite end thereof. The connecting pin also passes through a seat upon which a boss of the handle rests during rotation to facilitate a clamping action between the legs. On a rear end of the clamp, a cable joining section is provided as a threaded post which is secured to a flat plate. Although the design disclosed in this reference presents a desirable tool-less clamping operation, it has several drawbacks in that a seat is required to facilitate clamping and also presents a drawback in that the flat plate for supporting the threaded post may bend or otherwise break away from the remainder of the assembly. Additionally, the design disclosed in this reference requires many individual parts, which makes the design more costly and difficult to assemble.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,448 which discloses a battery terminal connector having a main body including a clamp having first and second flanges extending from ends thereof and a terminal receiving member extending from the first flange. A lever is removeably attached to the first and second flanges by a threaded shaft and a knurled nut. The lever is connected to the threaded shaft by an eyelet and is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. The lever pulls the first and second flanges toward each other in the closed position. A ring terminal has a ring connected to the terminal receiving member.
In contrast, U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,464 discloses a battery terminal including a base configured to selectably engage a terminal tongue. A post-engaging portion is configured to receive a battery post, one end of the post-engaging portion extending contiguously from the base. An opposite end of the post-engaging portion terminates at a nonlever receiving member adjacent to the base. A lever-holding portion extends from the base toward the nonlever receiving member. A lever is pivotably connected to the lever-holding portion about an axis, the lever having a cam-shaped portion. In response to pivotal motion of the lever toward a closed position, the cam-shaped portion is urged into contact with the nonlever receiving member, the nonlever receiving member pivoting about an end along the base to resiliently draw the post-engaging portion into a gripping arrangement for engagement with the battery post. However, such a battery terminal has a concentration of forces located in the transition area which can cause ineffective electrical contact over the life of the battery terminal.
It would be beneficial to provide a battery terminal that can be easily connected and disconnected to a battery post. It would also be beneficial to provide a terminal which generates sufficient normal force between the battery terminal and the battery post to ensure and maintain a gas tight electrical connection between the terminal and the post over the life of the terminal.